A hot-swappable, plug and play, single-port SFP (Small Form-factor Pluggable) module is used in network devices implementing Gigabit over fiber applications. The SFP module offers several significant advantages over its predecessor, the GBIC (Gigabit Interface Converter) such as lower cost, lower power consumption, and smaller size. Thus, with the SFP form factor, fiber Gigabit systems may be developed featuring similar port densities as copper-only systems using RJ-45 connectors.
The SFP module is electrically connected to an electronic apparatus by inserting the SFP module into a receptacle connector of the electronic apparatus. The receptacle connector is situated in an opening of the electronic apparatus. The receptacle connector comprises an insulating body and a plurality of pins, in which the pins are respectively disposed in pin channels of the insulating body. Each of the pins has a contact tab extending into a card slot of the insulating body. A solder tab extends from each pin to an external side of the insulating body and is soldered onto a circuit board of the electronic apparatus. When the SFP module is normally or correctly inserted into the opening of the electronic apparatus to interface with the receptacle connector. An edge of a circuit card of the SFP module comprises a plurality of plated traces that are aligned with the pins of the receptacle connector. To achieve an electrical connection, the edge of the circuit card of the SFP module is inserted into the card slot of the receptacle connector.